A former employee at Maryville's Apostolic Christian Academy linked to the First Apostolic Church of Maryville, Joseph Kade Abbott, has been sentenced to a six-year prison term following a guilty plea to charges of sexual battery. WATE reports that Blount County District Attorney Ryan Desmond announced the conviction, emphasizing that Abbott is required to serve his sentence at 100%, with no chances for parole.
The case began to unfold in June 2022, when allegations of sexual misconduct involving a 14-year-old victim surfaced. The investigation by the Blount County Sheriff's Office led to Abbott's arrest for sexual battery as an authority figure, according to details from WBIR. Moreover, Abbott was indicted on related charges in Sevier County, which were later transferred and merged into the Blount County case.
In civil proceedings, a lawsuit alleges an egregious lack of oversight by the First Apostolic Church of Maryville and the Apostolic Christian Academy. The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages, citing the entities' negligence as a factor that endangered children's welfare. The family is asking for $3 million for the minor and an additional $1.5 million for the parents, as per WBIR.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, Knox News recounted Judge Tammy Harrington's words during the sentencing, "I can never say if a defendant is at zero percent risk or a 100 percent risk (of committing a crime again). I don’t have a crystal ball. I can say with 100% certainty everyone loses today." The report further highlighted a troubling culture within the associated church communities, involving narratives of downplayed sexual assault and problematic power dynamics.
